The Velvet Pirates
by KingofZeroX
Summary: Yu Narukami and his elder brother Minato once lived peacefully. Then things changed. Now, armed with the powers of a strange Devil Fruit and haunted by his past, Yu is going to become the Pirate King. "If you're going to do something, you aim for the top." However, he'll need a crew, a ship, supplies, and a crap load of luck if he wants to survive this Journey. AU. On hiatus.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Bitter Beginnings**

* * *

A peaceful wind blew through the bright day. The air smelled of the sea.

Two brothers sat by each other on the edge of a small, wooden pier, looking out over the ocean. The eldest of the two had wild, long blue hair and was taller than the other was. His brilliant blue eyes shone with ideas and plans of all sort, yet his position showed he was quite laid back, choosing to slouch instead of sitting straight up like his younger brother was doing. The slouching made the two appear equal in height. The eldest kicked his fight out over the each of the pier, enjoying the feeling of the water lapping against his feet. The younger of the two had grey hair in a sort of bowl cut, something his mother had forced on him. She had given up on trying to tame his older brother's hair. The youngest had steel gray eyes that saw only the horizon and nothing beyond that. His feet did not kick, but were perfectly still. He was perfectly content with his life. He didn't have all the crazy plans like his brother always seemed to come up with. He tried to stay safe like his mother taught him.

"Hey, Yu?" The older brother asked in an excited tone. The younger brother, Yu, rolled his eyes. He knew that tone of voice. His brother had yet another crazy idea.

"What?" Yu reluctantly replied. His brother always came up with crazy ideas. He was so different from Yu, who firmly believed in the idea of staying safe. Yu thought it was at least partially due to the fact that they were only half-brothers. While they shared the same mom, their dads were completely different. In more ways than one.

"We should be pirates." Both brothers turned to face each, one with a slightly insane smile, the other with a look of mild disgust.

"Pirates are horrible, Minato. They steal, kill, and overall are bad people. You know what mom thinks about them." Yu said in a slightly annoyed tone. Minato smiled and then, in an attempted imitation of his mother's voice, squawked, "'Don't be like your father, Minato. He was just too haaaaandsome for me to handle!' Something like that, right?" Yu face palmed loudly. His brother could never take anything seriously. He was just a laid back slouch. This was one of the rare times Minato was not sleeping in some odd location. They once found him sleeping in the fireplace. Yu... resisted the temptation to light it. Their mother scolded Minato for that. She scolded Minato for many things.

"No. She says pirates are dangerous and we should be marines, just like _my_ father. Not like your father who ran off to another adventure shortly after having you." Yu said arrogantly. Minato whacked Yu in the back of the head playfully. Yu scowled and rubbed the back of his head as his brother stood up and widened his arms, as if he were trying to catch the entirety of the world in his grasp.

"Pirates are free! They aren't bogged down with rules and regulations like the marines. They do what they want, when they want, and how they want. They don't have to listen to anyone, do anything they don't want to, or just be ordered around! Pirates colonized the island we live on, Haven Island, as a safe haven for them. Moreover, look how wonderful it turned out! Who cares if it's dangerous? It's actually fun! Being safe is boring! You aim too low. Just wanting to be a simple marine. Why not an Admiral! If you're going to do something, you aim for the top. That's why I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!" Minato was excitedly babbling on about his dreams.

"Yes, pirates did try to make this a safe haven, but where are they now? I'll tell you where. Dead. The marines won. Good always triumphs over evil. You'll get yourself killed talking like that, Minato. Just live a normal life. Why does everything have to be exciting for you? Besides, you'll never be King of the Pirates. There's a ton of adults out there who have been training for years and never got it. You don't have any fighting power or Devil Fruit ability like most of them. Just go be a marine like I will." When Yu said that, Minato began to laugh. Yu raised an eyebrow. Why was his older brother laughing?

"I'll show you something good I found. However, you'll have to wait until tomorrow, okay? It will completely change your mind." Yu seemed suspicious of Minato's motives, but he decided to nod his head. Minato grinned as he ran away from the pier back towards their house.

Their house was a simple two-story white house with a picket fence. They had a small garden in their backyard that their mother lovingly tended to in order to get her boys to eat vegetables. Yu loved vegetables. Minato disliked them immensely. Therefore, Yu did a good deed and would always eat Minato's vegetables for him. They were growing boys after all. They lived with their mom right now. Yu's dad, their mother's current husband, was away at sea for work as a marine. The world was peaceful.

"Minato?! Wait up!" Then Yu chased after Minato like he always did after they hung out on the pier. It was something that, for as long as he could remember, he'd always done.

Chased after his older brother.

* * *

Explosions rocked the house. Loud booms and quakes shook everything. Smoke filled the once peaceful, pristine house. Fires burned the houses, the forest, the animals, the pier, and the people. Screams and shouts resounded throughout the Yu's room. It sounded like there was a war going on. However, Yu slept, as if nothing was happening. His door burst open, letting a blue-haired boy into the room.

"Yu! Get up! We're under attack!" Minato shouted desperately as he shook Yu awake. Yu's eyes shot open. He looked around wildly, before a calm expression appeared over his visage. He couldn't afford to panic right now. No proper marine would panic.

"Who's attacking us? Where's mom?" It was then that Yu noticed something about Minato's face. His face was smudged with dirt, ash, and there were slightly less dirty lines down his face. Like he had been crying. Oh no.

"It's the marines! They showed up in the middle of the night and just suddenly decide to attack! A-and m-mom is... mom is... you know?" Yu locked away his despair and depression as soon as it reared its ugly head. It was time to act. He could mourn later. He needed to keep his brother alive. They needed to survive. Minato grabbed Yu by the hand and pulled him out of bed and out the door to the bedroom.

"Where are we going? Yu asked as Minato was dragging him through the house. Minato looked back for a second and smiled, although it looked like it was terribly forced. Minato was terrible at hiding his feelings.

"To get the thing I wanted to show you. It's how we'll live." Yu was about to ask another question when they went out through the door. The sight before him scarred him for life.

It was hell. There were bodies, charred corpses lying in the street. Nearby houses were on fire. Smoke filled the air, choking the life out of the very island. The world seemed red from the illumination of the flames. Marines ran through the city, killing freely. An old man hobbled through the street, attempting to get away. A marine stabbed him in the back. Children cried, only to be silenced by gunfire. A person ran through the street covered in flames. Yu stared blankly at all this, unable to take it in.

"Why are they doing this?" Yu whispered in a tone of both fear and awe at the fact that the force he acknowledged as "good" could create so much chaos, destruction, and death as if they were the pirates Yu had always spoke of as being "bad people". Minato heard him. Barely.

"Apparently, they didn't kill all of the pirates. The whole island is full of retired pirates. All the pirates acted like normal people. Dad was covering for us. Mom was a pirate too. She wanted you to be a marine so you'd be safe. She wanted the same for me, but I, as you know, refused to be a marine. At least, that was what she told me before she..." Minato trailed off. Yu looked at Minato one more time, unsure if this was really his brother. The once brilliant blue eyes no longer shone. They were dull and empty, but they showed just a speck a hope and determination. Minato grabbed Yu's hand and dragged him to the side of the house. They moved quickly, but it didn't stop the screaming of their neighbors they heard. Both boys knew that they would be killed if they went out there. They were just kids. They couldn't do anything. Minato got on his hands and knees, his back facing away from the house. Minato began to dig at a suspicious looking patch of dirt. Yu, unsure of what to do, joined him. What they dug up was an old, wooden box with intricate designs.

"Go on. Open it." Minato urged Yu to open the box in an excited tone. Yu's shaking hands lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a blue fruit. Yu touched the surface of it. It felt like velvet. Minato looked up and searched his surroundings, searching for any marines after them. As Yu looked at the odd fruit, Minato's eyes widened. He jumped in front of Yu, who still had his back turned. A gunshot alerted Yu.

Yu turned around with wide eyes to see his brother standing over him, back facing him. A stray bullet from a group of marines running down the street had lodged itself in his brother. Yu's brother had been shot. Minato spit out a mouthful of blood. The blood collided with the ground and splattered. Everything seemed to be in slow motion.

"B-big brother? W-w-w-why?" Yu was in shock, yes, but there was something more that the sight of his brother invoked in him. Fear. His invincible big brother he had been chasing this entire time had just been wounded gravely. His brother was going to die. He'd been too useless to do anything. They were both going to die. Tears streamed down Yu's face. This couldn't be happening. Just yesterday, everything was peaceful and happy. It made sense for Yu. A day could change everything. No, a mere second could alter the fate of his entire life. And it had. Minato felt to his knees. He turned his head to face his brother. Blood trailed from his mouth and his eyes were unfocused. He seemed to be smiling, although Yu could tell it was another forced one. As quiet as a whisper, he spoke.

"I-I've lived a long 17 years." That was a lie. 17 Years was not long enough. Yu knew that. "Y-you're 15, so you have to live t-t-to be older than me at lea-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Minato shouted out in pain. His face contorted with pain and he grunted after his yell. Apparently, he was only barely holding back the pain. Yu turned his body to face Minato, about to stand up to help Minato, but the older brother held a hand to stop him. Minato's breathing grew labored. "NO! No... There's no helping... me. It's... t-t-too late..." Minato fell backwards. His head landed in Yu's lap. Tear drops fell on Minato's face, slightly removing the blood and dirt. Minato genuinely smiled and tears formed in Minato's eyes as well, going sideways off the sides of his face. "Bro... I'm so glad to see you... before... I die. A pirate... usually doesn't... have that kind of... chance. Now... eat the... Devil Fruit... and... live..." And with that final order, Minato released his final breath. His chest no longer moved up and down. He was as motionless as a statue. His skin grew could to the touch and his eyes stared off into the distance, seeing nothing. Just like Yu had done the other day.

Minato Arisato was dead.

Yu would obey his brother's last wish. Yu shakily raised the fruit to his lips and took a bite, trying to ignore the pain and emptiness he felt inside. The fruit tasted like nothing, as if he'd just eaten air. Then, his emotions overcame him. Containing them or bottling them up was impossible. Why did people have to die? Why did people kill each other? Why was it his brother that was killed instead of him? Amidst the pain, there was something asking these questions in Yu. Were pirates evil? Were the marines good? Can a person even categorize them? Yu wanted to know the answers. But more than that, Yu wanted to know the Truth.

_"I am thou... And thou art I."_

Yu didn't want to be told any lies anymore. He never knew his mother was a pirate, albeit former. He never knew his mother's true self. He never knew his friends' and neighbors' true selves. He felt pain and emptiness, yes, but it turned into rage. A burning rage. How dare they?! He was family! He had a right to know! He almost ended up in the hands of those awful monsters, those marines! They slaughtered everyone! He wanted the Truth of everything! No more lies, no more illusions! No more deaths! If he knew the Truth, he could save people and stop them from killing each other! He could stop other people from experiencing the pain and vengeful anger he was feeling now!

_"The time has come. Open thine eyes..."_

Then something clicked in Yu's head.

If they were going to kill all the people on this island, then he'd save two islands from them at least. If they killed people on five islands, he'd save the people of ten islands. At least. He'd save everyone he could until he found the Truth! He'd save them!

"I'll save what I can. Brother, watch over me. It's funny. You're going to get a good show from the afterlife. You're going to watch your cautious little brother try to save the village from complete annihilation. I may be joining you soon, Minato. I guess we are brothers after all. We're both insane." Yu stood and looked over the destruction and chaos facing him. The fruit fell from his hand. His eyes did not waver. He took it all in. This was humanity's evil. It was created by blind illusions. The marines would have to be under some illusions to think it was right to slaughter the young and the old so freely. The villagers and even he was deluded to think there was such a thing as safety in this world where a single ball of lead could kill a man. All his life, Yu had been trying to stay safe. Where did that get him? It got him this horrible sight before his eyes. Yu would shatter those illusions and bring forth the Truth. However, right now... he could not save the marines. They were too far-gone. Perhaps he could change the future of mankind with the Truth, but the present was impossible.

_"And call forth what is within."_

A blue card appeared in Yu's hand, the hand that had previously held the fruit. Yu smiled. He knew what this was, somehow. It was his weapon, his tool to save people, his sight, and his protection. This little card would lead him to the Truth of all things. It was part of him. And he was part of it. What he held was what was that which was within, yet without.

"Per...so...na."

Flames burst forth from the card. Their color was the color of the ocean, yet they seemed to be the very same flames that were destroying his village. _'One has to fight fire with fire.'_ Yu thought as a mad grin slowly spread onto his face. He was no longer human. No. He had eaten a Devil Fruit. He was something more than human. The flames surged in a spiral pillar of brilliant blue light before crashing into Yu. The flames burned him to the very core of his being, turning him into something strange, something new. He felt no pain, only bliss. This was his true potential being unleashed! The flames seemed to dance as they changed not just his inside, but his outside as well. They cloaked his body in a long black coat with a high collar and a steel mask over his face and head, with slots for breathing and sight. He soon possessed black pants and shoes with bladed soles. He wore black gauntlets over his arms. It was armor of the highest quality, despite its appearance. A weapon formed in his grasp. It was a long, black naginata that looked extremely heavy, yet felt as if it weighed nothing at all. He crouched and, in an instant, exploded from the ground up into the air, going far higher than he had intended.

From the air, he took note of all the people still alive. It seemed that most of the people were dead except for one person who was trying to hide behind a building being searched by marines. Yu couldn't make out his face, but he knew one thing for sure. Somebody was still alive. And that somebody was about to be found by the marines. _'I can still save someone!'_ Yu landed back by the side of his house and sped over to the building, making sure to avoid being spotted by any of the marines who were out looking for him. He reached the back of the building. He found the survivor cowering, covered in a blanket, as if they were trying to blend in to the wall that was the same color as the blanket. Yu kneeled down. The survivor shied away from him and gave him the barest of whimpers. The survivor was afraid.

"I'm here to save you. You and I are the only two left. We'll have to hide out until the marines, but we can survive this." The blanket moved away, revealing the face of a boy his age. It was a boy that Yu had not often associated with, but the two met regardless. The boy was rather different from Yu and they hung out in separate circles, but the two knew each other. Joy lit the boy's face when he saw the armed person who saved him.

"Yu! It's you! Heh, get it? Dude, I am so glad to see you right now. Now we can kick their asses together. My 'sit and wait here until they come so I can surprise them and steal their weapon plan' was taking too long. Where did you get that sick outfit and weapon anyway?" This kid was Yosuke Hanamura. He was Yu's age. He was also the son of a merchant who decided to settle on the island a year ago. He didn't seem to be depressed by the news of the two of them being the only ones left. Perhaps he didn't believe it. On the other hand, perhaps he was just putting on a brave face. Yu didn't know and he didn't care. He just wanted to live and keep this one other person alive as well.

"Stop. For living on this island of pirates, you two are charged with the crime of being guilt by association. The penalty is death." That was the voice of one of the marines that just surrounded them. There were seven in total. Yu could take probably take them out with the powers of his Devil Fruit, but Yosuke could die by then. Yu looked over to Yosuke, who now stood with a steel pipe in his hand. Gone was the blanket. Yosuke wore a white shirt with orange trim and jeans. It was rather simple. Yosuke winked at Yu.

"Don't worry, dude. I could probably take out two or three of them on my own. A merchant's son needs to know how to protect the goods. Hey, about we grab a ship and just leave this island instead of hiding? That sound good to you?" Yu nodded. Yosuke smiled. He jumped at the first marine closest to him and hit him over the head with the pipe. When a nearby marine tried to shoot him, Yosuke used the unconscious guard as a shield for the bullet and then went to attack the second person. Yu dashed towards the marine closest to him and impaled him on his naginata. He kicked the body off the blade and went for a horizontal swing to behead the guard that was approaching him from behind with a sword. The effects of killing did not sicken him. Such a feeling was burned away with his old, human body. But what made this new body so much different? A marine raised his gun at Yu.

"Zio." Lightning struck the marine who was about to shoot Yu and killed him, leaving his singed corpse to drop to the ground. Yu had magic. The other two marines shirked back in fear, only for Yosuke to hit them in the back of the heads with his steel pipe. Yosuke gave Yu a thumbs up. "Awesome. You have to show me how you do that. C'mon, my dad as a hidden boat with supplies in case he ever needed to flee the island. The way from here to the ship isn't far and pretty clear of marines. Unfortunately,... dad can't use it anymore and I don't know how to drive it. You know, right?" Yosuke asked hopefully. He seemed to look depressed when he talked about his father, but he wasn't the only one hurting.

"Yeah, I do. I was practicing to enter the marines. That idea won't work anymore. How about we become pirates instead? We'll be able to pay back the marines for their hospitality today?" Yu asked Yosuke.

Yosuke's eyes shined brightly. "Dude. You are amazing. We get to show those marines who's boss! This will definitely be less boring than just sitting on this island! Pirates get all the chicks and riches. I'm in, Captain. What's our goal once we get out to sea?" Yosuke began to walk. He gestured for Yu to follow him. As they walked, Yu's armor and weapon faded out of existence. Yu thought of his brother, of his words.

_"If you're going to do something, you aim for the top. That's why I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!"_

"I'm going to become King of the Pirates, of course. We have to aim for the top. Perhaps the Truth can only be seen from above. First, we'll need to get stronger. Second, we'll need a full crew, First Mate Yosuke Hanamura. Third, we'll need to find the One Piece that my brother always talked about. It seems important. Understood?"

"Ay, ay Captain! I always wanted to say that. Let's go out and change the world!"

They never talked about how they felt about their dead friends and family. "What would be the point?" Is what they were thinking.

* * *

A/N: I have two of my other stories' updates half written, so I'm going to go and try to finish those later, for those of you who are wondering. Who knows who else will make an appearance or chose to join the crew? Familiar faces and perhaps a few unfamiliar faces will be appearing in this fic. There will also be interaction with the Straw Hats. And competition. I love rivalry. And yeah, Minato is dead... So here is my first fic starring Yu Narukami! And yes, I know of the alternate name Souji Seta, but still... There's so many awful jokes and puns that must be made about his name. Oh and there are quite a few affects that can be caused by the Devil Fruit Yu ate.

**Devil Fruit: The Velvet Velvet Fruit**

**Powers: Allows limited use of inner potential and psyche and the manifestation in the physical realm of attacks, weapons, and armors using the power of the subconscious mind. It is often thought of as gaining "magic powers". There are other effects that are only experienced by the user. In-depth study is needed for more information.**

**Type: Paramecia**

**Strength: Intense attack and defensive power that grow the more the user the battles and gains battle experience. Attack types can vary wildly, making the user unpredictable. Nulls feelings of remorse when killing, so the user's mental state isn't negatively affected.**

**Weakness: The user's mental state gives them power. If it is disturbed, or they do not simply wish to battle, their power will no function until they feel then need or want to battle. Thus, the recommended type of attack is psychological.**** However, the more experienced the user, the harder it is to exploit this weakness.**

* * *

**Yu's Crew (Currently has no name)**

**Captain: Yu Narukami**

**First Mate: Yosuke Hanamura**

* * *

**Question of the chapter:** Who do you most want to see in the crew of Yu Narukami?

**REVIEW, FAVORITE, FOLLOW. Pretty please with a straw hat on top?**


	2. An Island for Training

**Chapter 2: An Island for Training**

* * *

"Have you found the Devil Fruits?" The captain asked the marines. The marines shirked back in fear. They had been unable to find either of the Devil Fruits they had come for. Not only that, but they had killed all the people on Haven Island, meaning that there was no one to interrogate. Unfortunately, for one marine, he had to report the news to his captain.

"Captain, we were unable to find either of the Devil Fruits." He gulped audibly when his captain turned to look at him. The captain pulled out a pistol and pointed it right at the marine. The marine was nearly peeing himself with fright.

"Then go and interrogate and islander. We must retrieve those stolen Devil Fruits." The marine was really scared now. He had to tell his captain that they killed everyone as well. The marine peed himself with fright.

"We... killed them all, sir." The captain pulled the trigger, shooting the marine on the spot. The marine felt to the ground, dead. This captain was the youngest captain in the marines, exceptionally talented, and had connections. The captain moved towards the rest of the marines and holstered the gun. The captain struck an imposing figure, despite the captain's relatively small size. Fear was necessary to control these men, but killing them all would solve nothing. Leave it to the marines to give this captain the hardest marine crew to manage.

"I'm disgusted with your behavior. We are marines, not monsters. Do you think the word 'Justice' is a joke? We were here to secure the fruits by terrifying the people with cannon shots from afar, and then raid the island for it. I did not give any orders to kill them all. We cannot afford to let both the Paramecia and Logia fruit fall into the wrong hands, but that does not justify murdering an island with children who had not known the pirate life and especially murdering the wife of one our superiors. You men are lucky that I do not leave all of you to die in the Calm Belt. However, you will all be held responsible for disobeying my orders." The marines were terrified now. They knew nothing would happen to their captain, for their captain was very well acquainted with the higher-ups and would only get a small slap on the wrist for what happened.

But, as for the marines that went overboard...

Their fate was sealed.

"Captain, why are these particular Devil Fruits so important?" The captain looked at the marine who spoke. The marine was frozen by the coldness he felt in the eyes of his captain. Eyes that would rest well at night if he died right then. The marine felt worthless in the eyes of his captain, so great was the captain's fury.

"They are extremely powerful and dangerous. We do not know how they were stolen, but, in the wrong hands, millions could die. I swore on my name, Naoto Shirogane, to retrieve them at all costs. And, given the fact that they have not been found yet, they most likely have ended up in the wrong hands. The Devil Fruits have left the island."

"Sir, there's one other thing. Two boats have gone missing. One was one of the island's boats that our sources told us of, but the other was one of ours. It was one of the smaller boats we used to bring our men to the island. We found the remains of several of our men near each area."

"Remains?!"

* * *

The blue-haired teen smiled as he relaxed in his boat. The gentle lulls of the waves were rocking him to sleep. He would let the ocean decide his fate. Then, he would begin his journey. Thinking back to earlier, he was quite happy that the fruit worked when it did. He was told these things sometimes have a delay on them. He was lucky to have consumed it the previous day. However, now he was content. The fruits had gone to the right people.

"I'm going to be the Pirate King. Perhaps then, our paths will cross again... Yu."

* * *

"Welcome to the Velvet Room."

Yu and Yosuke had managed to get away rather easily on their boat. It was a small hard to notice boat. Most of the marines were having still busy on the island (looting and making sure everyone was dead and whatnot) as they slipped out and into the open sea. The two newbie pirates sailed off until they were a good distance away from the island. Then they decided to finally rest and go to sleep. They decided on a plan to switch off sleeping. It turned out Yosuke did know how to keep a ship on course, but that was the full extent of his knowledge. Yu made sure everything was set up for Yosuke before he went to sleep. If Yosuke had any problems, he could wake Yu up.

Then Yu somehow ended up here.

He was on the deck of a large ship. A more expensive looking, spacious boat than his little glorified dingy. Really, it was a small boat. Yosuke insisted it was a sloop, but Yu believed it did not really deserve to be called a sloop. It was insulting to this nice ship. The boat was blue and the sails appeared to be made of Velvet, an odd material for sails. Where they were going, Yu did not know. When he looked off the sides of the ship, he saw only stars. Was this a ship that sailed the "ocean of stars"?

Yu looked to the voice that had spoken to him. A strange, long-nosed, smiling old man sat on a couch on front of the helm. The old man had a black, tri-cornered hat as well as a long coat made of blue velvet hung over his shoulders. He seemed to be wearing a business suit underneath the coat. There was also a golden-haired woman beside the man who was dressed as a pirate as well, having a bandana and whatnot to prove it. She seemed uncomfortable in the clothes, if her stern face was any indication. The wheel was turning on its own. Yu walked towards the helm, climbing the stairs to get there.

"What is the Velvet Room? And who are you?" He asked once he reached the helm. The old man turned towards him, smiling creepily. Yu had strange dreams before, but this was just bizarre. It was more bizarre than the soda dream. Yu shivered as he remembered it. Perhaps not as bad as the soda dream. It was not... a sane dream.

"I am Igor, and this is Margaret. This is a place between the realms of the unconscious and subconscious. Just as man originally ate the fruit of knowledge, so too did you. You have formed a contract with this place, at the price of a weakness to the sea. The power you wield is known as Persona, as I'm sure you already know. This contract shall provide you with the means to achieve your goal. Part of that is your current power. However, there is so much more for you to unlock and understand. Time will be your friend, as you grow stronger and slowly begin to understand your own power. This is just a meeting to greet you and inform you of your current status." Igor said calmly, smiling all the while.

"So... you just decided to say hello? Well, hello. I'm Yu. I will be your Devil Fruit user until I die horribly or something else occurs. I guess this Devil Fruit I ate is just full of surprises."

"You don't know the half of it."

Igor and Margaret just smiled knowingly as the world faded before his eyes. His meeting was over. They had delivered their welcoming message. He would not see them again for a while.

* * *

**One Week Later**

* * *

"Yu?"

"Yes?"

"You said you could sail a boat, right?"

"Of course I can. What do you take me for? What kind of a good-for-nothing pirate captain can't sail his own boat?"

"Then... where are we?"

Yu took out a telescope he had found amidst the ship's supplies. He extended it and looked through it while keeping one hand on the wheel. They were surrounded by an endless blue sea. Their boat was a small, one-mast boat with, oddly enough, a wheel. It had enough supplies for one week when they initially took it. It should have been long enough to get to the next island. However, they had not seen any sight of land for a while. Yu had insisted on sailing the boat himself. After all, Yosuke couldn't operate the mast or anything due to his lack of sailing skill. Yosuke was having some reservations about that choice, however. Yu retracted the telescope and put it in his jacket pocket. He was currently wearing clothes he had found on the ship. They were a bit big, but he would grow into them. They consisted of black slacks, brown dress shoes (it was rather odd), a white collared shirt, and a black, long sleeved, button-down jacket with a patterned collar. Yu found it rather stylish and choose to unbutton the jacket to look more "roguish" as he described it. Yosuke found a similar outfit in storage for him, but he thought it made him look like a schoolboy and decided to continue to wear the same clothes he had at the island.

For a week.

The smell was awful. Yu had managed to barely stop himself from throwing Yosuke in the ocean so far. He promised to himself that he'd do it eventually, though.

"We are on the ocean." Yu replied blandly. Yosuke's eyebrow twitched. Yu was not the most exciting person and he hated to admit when he was wrong. That much Yosuke had been able to gather from their first couple of days together. He had to be very specific when he asked Yu a question. Because Yu was also a bit of a smartass.

"No, Yu. Where are we in relation to the next island?" Yosuke asked hoping that Yu wasn't going to say what he thought he would. Yosuke was a carefree, happy person (in his own opinion), but he there were some things that just irritated him. Things such as Yu not giving any straight answer or not admitting he was lost. Yu stared at Yosuke. Yosuke stared back. The staring contest continued for a minute before Yu sharply and silently turned his head back to the front of the ship, staring ahead as if nothing ever happened. He continued to steer the then he spoke in a monotone voice.

"First Mate Yosuke, your captain now hereby promotes you to Navigator. Yay. Congratulations. You have worked so hard for this position. I applaud your perseverance and determination. You get a larger pay cut. Rejoice." Yosuke's brow crunched up in annoyance.

"That's not the way the hierarchy works! Don't you even know that much? And since when did I get paid?!" He shouted, outraged at Yu's indirect admittance to being lost. Yu shrugged as he continued to steer the ship. His face was serious, as always.

"Navigator Yosuke. Stop shouting or I will demote you. And I shall reduce your salary as well."

"NOW IT'S A SALARY?!"

"There goes ten percent of your salary." Yu said, still in monotone. What Yosuke didn't know was that Yu very much enjoyed conversing with Yosuke, even if he was messing with him most of the time. It helped keep his mind off what happened to his home. And the fact that they were... somewhere that was not their destination yet. Yosuke was his only friend in the world right now. He cherished his friend. However, he was also Yu's only source of entertainment. And that was not a fun job.

"Ten percent of wha-"

"HELP, please! Help me, please! You guys in the boat! Help, please!" A girl's screaming voice cut off Yosuke's tsukkomi. Bright eyed, Yosuke placed his right hand on Yu's shoulder. Yu looked at Yosuke and frowned when a lecherous look worked its way into Yosuke's eyes.

"Dude, she sounds cute! We have to go save her! Oh man, this is just like that magazine! I think she'll be **grateful** to her _heeeroes_. How **grateful** would you say she would be? Would she be willing to provide _special services_?" Yosuke said in a... perverted voice. It seemed that the guy was starving for the attention of a female. Two dudes on a boat can get very boring, very quick. Yu's eyes looked at Yosuke's hand placed on his shoulder. His eyes still held the same serious look as always.

"Don't touch me, lecherous pig. I have no idea where your right hand has been. And we have no guarantee she is cute, or that it is a girl screaming. Some Devil Fruit User could be imitating a 'cute' sounding girl." Yu said in a slightly irritated tone. Yosuke removed his hand, shocked at Yu's reaction. They were fellow men! How could they not be thinking the same thing?! It sounded like a cute girl screaming! Guys aren't supposed to think with their brains when a cute girl screams! Yosuke thought all men were the same in that regard! He was quite wrong, however.

"Come on, man! Stop acting like a prude. Don't you have any balls?" Yu's eyes narrowed. He began to turn the ship towards the sound of the voice that was still crying out for them to save her. Yu spotted the girl from a distance. She was floating on a small piece of driftwood. Luckily, she wasn't drowning. They had a little bit of time to get to her. Yu could afford to get in another remark. Yu would save her, however. It was one of his goals to do so.

"I do have balls. Want to see them?" Yosuke shirked back in disgust, about to retort something about his apparent admittance to homosexuality. Yu then reached into his pocket and pulled out two small, spherical stones. Yosuke cracked a smile. Yu definitely was a smartass.

"I must admit that was clever. You do indeed have stones." Yosuke nodded sagely. Yu nodded as well. There was silence for a moment. The two then burst out laughing. Yu laughed for the first time since he had left his home island. His eyes lost their seriousness for a little while. It was a good time.

"What are you two doing? Will somebody help me?! I'm stuck in the middle of the ocean!" The girl was still screaming. Yu hadn't paying attention and they had drifted to the side, almost ignoring the girl.

"That girl has quite a pair of lungs on her. Do you think she's a singer? Perhaps she's an athlete. They both need a healthy pair of lungs, after all." Yu asked as the two began to go to rescue her. Yosuke shrugged.

"Nah. All girls are loud. That's why you have to wear earplugs when you break up with them."

"Ah. That is useful advice."

...

...

...

"Is that it? No quips about my love life or anything? You seemed to be on a witty roll earlier." Yosuke wasn't expecting the smartassery to stop anytime soon. The fact that it did was almost... disappointing. Yu looked at Yosuke and shrugged. His eyes held the same serious look as they did before.

"You're a virgin. Do I need say anything else?"

Ooh. Burn.

* * *

"Thanks a million! My name is Chie Satonaka. So what are you two doing this close to Shimotsuki Village?" The girl they rescued was wrapped in a towel and sitting on the floor of the boat. She was sopping wet, but getting drier slowly. Yosuke seemed a little depressed. The girl they rescued was a tomboy, if her short hair and choice of work out clothing was any indication. Yu took note of that information. Yosuke likes cute, feminine girls. Now, how could he use that to his advantage?

"We're close to Shimotsuki Village? Chie Satonaka, your captain, Yu Narukami, hereby promotes you to Navigator. Dun dun. Yay. Yosuke, you're demoted, your pay will be cut, and I will throw in the ocean." Yu said monotone again. Yosuke wasn't sure if Yu was kidding or not about that last part. However, it was presumptuous of Yu to make her part of the crew.

"Since when was she part of the crew? And what do you mean throw me in the oce-"

SPLASH!

Yu turned back toward Chie and smiled politely at her. She smiled back. Yu sat down in front of her.

"You smelled him, right?

"Yes."

"Well, then I'm sure you understand my reasons for doing that."

"Absolutely. I love the fresh sea air. His stench was suppressing it."

Yu leaned closer and whispered very quietly, "We may or may not be lost. Personally, I think Yosuke was failing his job as Navigator. Would you mind showing us the way to Shimotsuki Village?" She smiled brightly and nodded her head. As soon as Yu leaned back with a satisfied look on his face, Yosuke starting making more noise.

"Hey guys! Can you... help me?" Yu and Chie ignored him for the time being and continued conversing.

"Sure! I'm from Shimotsuki Village anyway. I was going to ask for a ride back from you guys." Chie replied happily.

"Hey, I'm sure you guys are having a _lovely_ conversation, but I was wondering if you could please help me?"

"Well, as long as he's being polite." Yu went over to the side of the boat and threw a rope over to Yosuke. Yosuke climbed back onto the boat, completely soaked. Yu decided to go throw the trouble of getting him a towel as well. He didn't want Yosuke complaining later on. Yosuke, now a lot more bearable in terms of stench, decided to ask a few questions.

"So, what were you doing all the way out here?" Yosuke asked her, this time genuinely interested. He had gotten over the fact she wasn't his perfect idea of a 'cute girl', but that didn't mean he was still interested in what she was doing in the middle of the ocean. Chie scratched the back of her head with an embarrassed smile on her face.

"I was training. I was swimming out and was about to swim back when I had a leg cramp. I guess I shouldn't have tried to increase the difficulty by using only my legs. Luckily, there was a piece of driftwood for me to hold onto and wait for help." Yosuke face-palmed.

"Idiot," Yosuke said.

"Hey! At least I didn't get my captain lost!" Chie yelled back. Apparently, she was easily offended. Yosuke turned to Yu with a look of spite. Yu just continued to steer the boat. Yosuke turned back to Chie, outraged.

"You don't even have a captain!"

"Well, he hired me!"

"He was joking! Besides, what could you do on this ship? Do you even know why we're out here?!"

"I can cook... and fight... and... uh... be the helmsman... and... Well, what are you guys anyways?!" Yu looked at Chie and smiled. It was odd, seeing him smile. Yosuke frowned. For the entirety of their time together, Yu had barely smiled. Now he was giving his smiles out to anyone that talked to him.

"We're homeless people. I'm thinking about becoming a pirate, though. What's your take on them?" Chie stood and looked straight at Yu with an angry look on her face. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him in to yell. Apparently, someone had a problem with pirates. What argument would she use? Would she talk about the justice of the marines? Or about some sob story in which she encountered bad pirates as a child?

"Pirates are bad guys! Don't be one of them!" Yu looked at her in disbelief. Was that her entire argument? Yu was expecting something a little more... adult-like in nature.

"Okay?" When Chie sat back down with a smug look on her face, Yosuke burst out laughing. She really didn't have much experience outside of her island, did she?

* * *

"Welcome to Shimotsuki Village! The island of training! The famous pirate hunter Zoro comes from this island. He's my idol. His success inspired powerful warriors to come here and set up dojos to train the youth of this generation. My master specializes in a martial art based heavily on kicking." Chie welcomed the two as they pulled into the dock. Yu and Yosuke had reached the island. While there were homes and such, there seemed to be a lot of training facilities and dojos that varied from sword styles to jujitsu. Yu and Yosuke both had the same thought.

_'It's training time!'_

Yosuke was going to find a school that could perfect his skills. Yu, however, was going to train his own Devil Fruit abilities solo. Chie was going back to her own school.

"If you guys ever want to hang out, then look me up, alright?" Chie said as she ran off to her own part of the village.

Yu and Yosuke looked towards each other. They were going to part temporarily. Yu and Yosuke both needed training, though, and they couldn't train together. Their fighting styles were far too different.

"So, how are you going to train?" Yu asked Yosuke. Yosuke smiled.

"I want to work on increasing my speed under a master here. If I had been just a little bit faster back on Haven Island, then my dad wouldn't have..." He trailed off, a pained look on his face. Yu placed a hand on Yosuke's shoulder. Yu put his other hand into his packet and pulled it out, close into his fist.

"Take this," He said, handing Yosuke what he pulled out. They were the two small stones from earlier.

"You have stones, Yosuke. Deciding to choose a master like that must have been hard. I'll see you in about a month. Learn what you can, and then we'll train the rest of the way on the ship. Also, look for a new ship. That boat we were using stinks." Yu waved to Yosuke as he walked off into the distance. Yosuke looked at the stones in his hands and then back at Yu who was still walking away.

"What the hell?" Yosuke just shrugged. He began to realize that he, perhaps, wasn't following the sanest of captains.

* * *

Yu was heading to the outskirts of the town, hoping to find a grassy area to train. It seemed to be the stereotypical area one would find in a village like this. However, as he was walking through the bustling town, he heard a familiar voice coming from a back alley.

"STOP, evildoers! I, the Galactic Dragon, am here to stop you!" Intrigued by this, Yu headed down the alleyway, his abilities cloaking him in the black coat and steel mask of his Persona. In his hands, he held his naginata. It would be best to be prepared for combat. As he neared the sound of the voice, he saw a masked woman in green facing off against some thugs. Two of them had guns and a third had a very long sword. It appeared they had been in the middle of robbing a middle-aged man. The woman's mask was in the form of, well, a dragon's head with glass for the eyes in the dragon's mouth. It was really more of helmet. She also wore spandex... Spandex? On her legs, she wore heavily armored grieves. Yu decided to join in the fun. He was bored and could, at the very least, beat up a few guys while acting silly for once. It was a new experience. It would also be a little bit of good training, hopefully.

Yu approached the group. He readied his weapon. He spoke, trying to imitate the brave, fake sounding voice of the woman. "I shall assist you, Galactic Dragon! I am the Steel Avenger, Izanagi!" He stood beside her, his weapon pointed at the thugs. The 'Galactic Dragon' turned her head towards Yu in recognition before turning back to the thugs. The thugs pointed their guns at the two of them, while the third held his sword at the man's throat.

"What do you kids think you can do, huh? Scram before we shoot ya! We're doing some legitimate business here!" A thug, most likely the leader, said. Yu pointed his naginata at the thug with his sword held against the throat of the hostage. '_I hope this works.'_ Yu silently though as he uttered the word of his attack.

"Zio."

Lightning shot forth from his weapon, striking the man with the sword. He was holding a lightning rod. The man collapsed, stunned by the lightning. _'Okay. Glad that worked. Killing a person here would not be good. Especially with her around. I get the feeling she'd hunt me down if I killed right in front of her.'_ The Galactic Dragon rushed one of the other men, who were surprised by the random lightning, and kicked his weapon up into the air. Then, before he had a chance to counterattack, she landed a spinning sidekick into his gut, sending him flying against a wall and knocking him unconscious. Yu, feeling rather lazy for some reason, just pointed his naginata at the other man.

"Zio."

The man fell to the ground, unconscious. Yu turned to the woman, who was looking at him. She removed her helmet, revealing her to be Chie, just as Yu had originally thought. She seemed to be in awe of the strange power that Yu had just used. Yu himself was in awe of how quickly she could move and how high she could kick with those heavy greaves on.

"So I guess you aren't just a homeless person?" Yu looked at her as his armor faded away into nothingness. The look on Chie's face was priceless.

"Well, I don't have a house, if that's what you're asking. What else defines a homeless person?" Chie face-vaulted at that.

* * *

Yosuke, on the other hand, had found his master. Now he was trying to run 1000 laps with a boulder strapped to his back. Needless to say, it was rather difficult. He was to have this boulder strapped to his back for the next month. He would not be able to take it off until the last day. It was extremely cruel training from Yosuke's point of view. At least now he understood why Yu said he had stones. Serving under a master in this village was not for the faint of heart. After all, it was a village devoted to training!

"I really shouldn't have told him I wanted to be stronger as fast as possible."

"Stop talking already! You talk too much! Get back to work!"

"Yes, sensei!" _'Damn it! This wasn't what I signed up for!'_

* * *

A/N: Guess who isn't as dead as you thought he was?! No, seriously, guess. As for Minato, he had a Devil Fruit. It is original, just like the one that gave Yu his powers. What it is and how he got it will be revealed in time. Bet you can't guess it~ Anyway, the newb pirates need a bit of training and a boat. Both of which will be included in the next chapter. Also, they meet Chie. She hates pirates. Wonderful. Yu should see Luffy soon, if the plot I have laid out works well. Now it's time for everyone's favorite...

**REVIEW REPLY TIME:**

**HolyMage Mouto: **Labrys? Expect to see her in the distant future. Like, really distant. As for more Personae... time will tell.

**Mzr90:** Nice list. It makes sense too. However, it the list for this crew may end up being very different from what you originally thought.

**SEESWildCard: **The cast of P3 make their own crew?... I refuse to give spoilers! Muahahahahahaha!

**Yuuji Narukami:** I like Marie. I just need to think of where to place her... As in terms of the story, not the crew.

**Chaos Theory:** Shh. Don't tell anyone the crew name just yet! It's supposed to be secret for suspense!

Yu: Hey, Yosuke. We should name our crew what this guy is suggesting. It sounds cool.

Don't look, Yu! *tackles Yu to the ground* Quick, hide the crew name!

**HellPwnage1337: **I uh... never played Devil Survivor. Or P1. Sorry to disappoint. BUT... That's what wikis are for. However, I don't think I'll get a crew member for each Arcana. I'd end up with a massive crew of characters that would barely get their own 'screen time' and gradually lose their individuality.

**kroz phantomville:** Wait... and see...

**Twin Judge of Gemini: **Fixed the mistake. Also, yeah, Perona would PWN Yu. Also, you should wait to find out the Devil Fruit Minato got. It's awesome... And Naoto is here. Yay!

That's all for that! Thanks for reviewing! If your review did not get answered here, then don't worry! I still read it and loved it anyway!

**Question of the Chapter:** What fruit do you think Minato ate?

**REVIEW, FAVORITE, AND FOLLOW.** Pretty please with two stones on top?


	3. Pirates Are Free

**Chapter 3: Pirates Are Free**

* * *

"Why do you dislike pirates, Chie? There must be a deeper reason behind it other than they are 'bad guys'. What happened to you?" Yu asked the girl in green. The two of them were eating meat at a nearby restaurant. At least, that was the only thing Yu could discern from it. It was literally a mountain of food meant to give energy to those who trained intensely. Yu wasn't sure if he could finish it. He'd never had a large appetite. He wished there were some vegetables to go with the protein pile in front of him. Chie was treating him, something that she insisted was a rarity and something he shouldn't expect from her regularly. According to her, this was to reward him for his help. Apparently, she always wanted a crime-fighting partner (Yu thought she just wanted a sidekick).

"Pirates are bad guys. That's something I know for certain. You seem like a good guy, so I'll tell you the story. I've never told this story to somebody not on this island before. Everybody else already knows it because they were there. So... I guess you can call this your reward for saving my life and the food your reward for helping me earlier. And with that, we're even. But don't laugh or make fun of me if I get emotional. Well, I should probably get started.

A few years ago, pirates invaded this island. As you can probably guess, it was a serious mistake for the pirates. This is an island of warriors in training and masters. We easily were overpowering them, destroying them with our superior training. However, despite our superior power, they managed to get away from us. Do you want to know how?" Chie asked. Yu nodded. Chie wanted to make sure he was paying attention. Chie continued, a melancholy tone entering her voice, "They took my best friend hostage. She was the apprentice of one of the only doctors on this island. She had so much potential. She wasn't the most talkative, but we always had fun together, her and me. She had this funny way of laughing when she would just laugh non-stop. We were always having fun. That day... she didn't laugh. She wept. She didn't just cry for the lost warriors on our side... but for the pirates on the other side too. She always cared so much for every living thing... But those bastard pirates... Th-they held a sword to her throat." Chie's voice cracked. The memory of this was causing her to cry, so powerful was the emotion behind it. Yu listened with rapt interest. This story sounded like his, yet so very different. She lost someone important to her too, but from pirates. It was strange how circumstance could change people. Could this be... part of the Truth he was searching for?

Tears formed in the corners of Chie's eyes, "S-she cried. Sh-sh-she was always so composed when we were together, but... sh-she screamed and begged for them to let her go. Sh-she cried so much, so loudly... Y-you know what they did? They hit her, beat her! Stole her, used her as a bargaining chip for their own horrid lives! Even after she treated their wounded and cared for them, even though they were the invaders! That's why pirates are bad guys!" Chie had gone from being sad, to being enraged in an instant. She stood, her hands slammed down upon the table, and a look of fury and determination was on her face. She then realized where she was and sat down slowly, her expression melting back to one of sorrow.

"I'm sorry... that story gets me emotional. I always got the feeling she wanted to leave this island. She always stared out at the sea when the merchant ships left, as if she was longing to leave and see the world. If she had stayed, then she would have been forced to become this island's doctor and would have been too busy to leave. In a twisted sort of way... she got what she longed for... that doesn't mean I hate the pirates any less. She didn't want to leave like that." Chie looked at Yu in such a way that it broke his heart. This girl wasn't very good at hiding her emotions. He had been wrong when he thought she had gone through a similar experience. This girl had the hope of her friend still being alive. She hadn't seen people burn to death like Yu had, watched her family die. However, her tale was still a tragic one. Even if her logic was flawed. Yu had to correct that.

"I apologize. I didn't know that you had such a tragic reason for hating pirates. However, there is a flaw in your reasoning. Pirates are people. Being a pirate isn't what defines a person. It is the person that defines the person. I used to think all marines were good. I soon learned otherwise. I once thought all pirates were bad. Then I realized that a pirate isn't just a 'bad guy' like I had thought. Pirates aren't good or bad. Pirates are free. People are good or bad. Freedom is a blessing and a curse." Yu said, hoping for it to all sink into Chie. He needed to show her the error in her thinking. The ignorance behind her logic was infuriating. Ignorance was what blinded people from the Truth. It was one of the reasons why he no longer had a home. Even so, as he spoke he began to understand things for himself.

"Are you defending them?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Chie seemed outraged at his response. It wasn't the reaction he was hoping for, but it wasn't one he hadn't expected either. Her refusal to see his or even recognize his point of view was enraging.

"No, I'm not defending the people her stole your friend. But are you damning every single person that wants to be free and explore under the title of 'Pirate'? Do you really have that right? What the hell is wrong with _you_? You don't understand a damn thing. Some people don't have a choice. No, they get that choice stolen from them. Their only option is to become a pirate. Others just dream of living freely and without rules, without people telling them how to live their life and always asking them to pay taxes with money they don't have. I'm sorry for what you went through, but your ignorance is astounding. Condemning an entire people because of the few is just like if I were to condemn this entire island if a few punks who mugged me. Does that seem like a fair judgment to you? Does it seem like I have a right to say that? Not everyone can choose what they want to be and nobody can choose what everyone else is going to be. Each person, whether they are a pirate or marine, is held accountable and guilty for their own actions, not the actions of somebody else who shared their job. Thanks for the meal." With that, Yu stood from his table and left.

Strangely enough, Yu had just come to a conclusion he had never thought of before. He was blaming all the marines for the actions of the few, like Chie. But the difference was, he didn't care that he was doing it. He was a hypocrite, yes, but there was an entire island that needed to be avenged. The dead would not rest until he sent their murderers to join them. It was extremely personal. Chie's friend was not murdered before her eyes. Chie didn't see what he saw, didn't feel what he felt. Yu wouldn't be satisfied until his brother was back with him, sitting on that same pier, alive. Perhaps this was part of the Truth. Violence created by violence?

Chie seemed to be too shocked to say anything. However, a thoughtful look began to form on her face.

_'Pirates that had no other choice but to be pirates? Pirates that just want to be free? That sounds like... Yukiko... I never thought it was like that for everyone... I suppose that... maybe... Everybody is pushed in a certain direction... And pirates are the option for the people that don't have any options. I-I-I don't know...'_ Chie thought.

Yu, on the other hand, was angry after the conversation. It was more than just anger at her ignorance.

She was insulting his brother's dreams.

And his only choice in life.

* * *

**One Month Later**

* * *

"Yosuke! Why did you stop running?" His sensei was yelling at him again during training, like always.

"I'm sorry, master! This extra boulder is kind of heavy! And did you really need to tie weights to my arms and legs too?"

"You improve too slowly! If you don't get faster, you'll be slaughtered in a real battle! Just imagine how fast you'll be when you take those weights off! Now go faster, or no supper for you! This is your last day, after all!"

Yosuke had quickly begun to hate his choice of a dojo with free lodging. At least he knew why there was nobody else going to this dojo now. There was training at night, too. And the worst part was...

His sensei could take away supper.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"That's sensei to you!"

"Understood, sensei!"

"Now I'm going back inside. You better not slack off!"

Yosuke's dojo offered him free food, lodging and lessons. That was because he was the only student. He later learned that it was because this particular sensei was far too harsh. She was kind and caring outside of training (she cried when Yosuke told her everyone on his island had been slaughtered), but she was a fierce demon when it came to training. She wasn't even that much older than Yosuke. Perhaps 2 or three years older at the most. She was a child prodigy that decided to start her own dojo.

Her name was Rio Iwasaki.

She had long black hair in the form of a ponytail. She was a very beautiful sensei that never seemed to dress fully as a sensei should. She was wearing the bottom half of a sensei's robes, but the top half seemed to be her own fashion sense. She wore a white collared shirt with the collar undone and a cream-colored, sleeveless vest over it. Apparently, she knew she was a sensei, but wanted to maintain her identity as a young girl.

But despite how she looked, she was fiercer than all the men and woman on the island when it came to training hard. She was so demanding that all of her students had abandoned her. Luckily, her father was quite wealthy and she could afford to keep a dojo open even if she made no income. However, keeping something open and maintaining it were two different things. She _only_ had enough money to not shut her doors and provide for her singular, poor student. Yosuke often found himself wondering why he was staying at this place. The food wasn't even good quality, the beds were often not fully clean, and the training was unholy. But then he remembered why he stayed, why he never left.

Rio made the food herself.

Rio tried to clean his sheets every day, often neglecting her own, and always made his bed.

Rio wanted him to survive out in the world.

Rio was lonely.

Yosuke was the only student that didn't yell at her, complain loudly, or quit after the first day. He had the capacity to deal with the pain in order to get stronger. Rio and Yosuke grew close outside of training, almost as if they were family. Rio's parents never visited her, for they were far too busy. So it was a younger boy and an older girl underneath the same roof for a month. Yosuke felt what is was like to have a sister for the first time. Or even a mother.

When supper came, Yosuke sat down to eat, having already finished the last of his training for the day. There was no training at night. Nevertheless, he still wore his weights. It was rule number one in his dojo. Never take off your weights unless you're fighting, and, when you aren't fighting, you should be increasing the weight. He sat across from Rio at their small dinner table he looked down at his food, expecting the same old, same old. They sat on small cushions on the floor in front of an equally short and small table. However, this food looked delicious. There was even fresh Sea King meat! It was prepared wonderfully, as if a famous chef had made it. He looked across at Rio, awe covering his face. This was an expensive meal! She laughed.

"Don't give me that look. You earned it. You've been working hard all this time. This is a thank you. It's the result of countless trials of making edible and healthy food for you. You need to stay strong and survive out there in that cruel world. I spent a lot of time and money preparing you, my only true student, for the world. You'll continue training and getting stronger. When you become one of the most infamous people out on the sea, people will remember me as the best damn teacher around. Just... just make sure to come back one day okay, Yosuke? This dojo is as much my home as it is yours. Therefore, I want you to go show the world Rio's Fleeting Moonlight Style. Then you can come back here, back home." Yosuke felt very moved. He... had a home.

He totally did not spend the next hour crying and hugging his sensei.

Nope.

Definitely not.

It would be unmanly.

... Shut up.

* * *

"Yu!"

Yu turned to the voice who had called his name. He was in the middle of the forest located on the island. He had been training there in solitude for the past month. The animals on this island were strong and extremely large for some odd reason. Yu had to find ways other than Zio to take them down. And find them he did. The forest was a lot emptier now. Yu figured it would be okay. These animals could always repopulate.

"Chie. What are you doing here?" Yu asked as he sat down on an exceptionally large stump. He had gotten over his anger in the past. After he killed his 15th giant animal, of course. It had been an especially fierce tiger.

"Yu, I need your help! My idol is in trouble! I have to save him!" Yu raised an eyebrow. He remembered her speaking about some sort of idol when they had first arrived on the island. It was interesting that she had chosen to come to him of all people. Didn't he insult everything she knew just a month ago? Chie was also holding a newspaper. The news must have come in that day. That explained why she was panicking. Well... it didn't, but it explained why she was panicking at the present moment instead of the reason as to why. Speaking of reasons why...

"Why are you coming to me?" He asked, slightly irritated. Maybe he hadn't fully rid himself of all that anger. Alternatively, maybe he just didn't like being interrupted while he was on his 5-minute break from training. He didn't take many breaks. He had only one five minute break a day. He'd eat while training. He was very harsh on himself during training. Becoming the Pirate King required strength. He needed to be as strong as possible. He needed to be able to avenge the people of his island and to simultaneously achieve the pinnacle of defiance against the marines whilst achieving the Truth. The only way to do that while keeping his brother's dream alive and being free was to become the Pirate King. Kings had strength and followers. Yu needed both.

"You're the only one I know that can sail a boat!"

...

...

...

"Really? Out of curiosity, how many people do you know?" That was interesting. _She doesn't know anybody else who could steer a ship? What kind of village is she from? Oh, wait... training village. Alright then, that is understandable.'_ Yu thought. Chie fidgeted nervously. Apparently, she was very nervous about coming to see him after a month of silence.

"I... only know my friend and my master. And you and Yosuke, of course. I don't really get along well with a lot of the people on this island. Look, I'm sorry if what I said made you mad. I thought about what you said for a long time. It... makes sense. Sometimes in life we don't have choices and being free doesn't necessarily mean being evil. I probably shouldn't have gone and 'condemned' every single pirate. Everybody has different circumstances. Like you. After all, you are one too, right? The way you reacted and the Devil Fruit powers were a dead giveaway.

Anyway, you saved me twice without asking anything in return except for directions. So I won't condemn you or Yosuke for being pirates. That doesn't mean I'll stop hating other pirates, though." Yu froze. He hadn't expected her to figure out he was a pirate from what he said. Then he realized that he had left pretty obvious and personal clues. Yu laughed. This girl may have made him angry in the past, but she was strong and at least more intelligent than Yosuke. He respected that. She also learned her lesson (even though it took her a month). Yu couldn't stay mad at the girl. The only grudge he kept was for the murderers of his brother.

She should join him. He needed followers, friends to help him climb his way to the throne of the King of Pirates. She brought a unique fighting style to the fray and she seemed able to balance out Yosuke. He didn't have an exact job for her, but she could serve as a temporary Navigator. Perhaps she could even be a cook. Yosuke couldn't do much at all. Hopefully he could at least fight more effectively now. Chie also had enough intelligence that he could bounce back plans with her. In addition, she knew he was a pirate. He couldn't have her telling everyone on an island full of people who beat the crap out of pirates in the past and were most likely hungering for more.

"Okay, that's a start. You'll learn more once you leave this island and see the world. I'll take you to 'save your idol', but in return, you have to join my pirate crew." Yu said with a sly smirk. Chie looked shocked. She didn't expect that counter offer. If anything, she expected him to just refuse. Yu decided to push more for her to join his crew even more. He could take advantage of her confusion.

"If you join my crew, it will be my duty as captain to make sure you are as effective as possible. That means that I can't possibly have fighting at half strength with your mind full of doubts and traumas. So... I'll help you find your friend as well. Then they can join my crew as well, to insure your mental stability. I will also protect your friend with all my power, seeing as they will become my nakama, my crew, and my... friends." Yu finished, hoping that the last word would convince her he wasn't one of those 'bad pirates.' Because it was true. He wanted to be friends with her. He didn't know why, but he felt a sort... bond to this girl. That bond demanded friendship and Yu would happily oblige. He may not show it, but Yu valued friendship. He didn't have many friends aside from his brother back on the island. It and his inherited dream to be Pirate King were all he had left.

"You... you want me to become a pirate, the very symbol of what I hate in exchange for a not only a ride to save my idol, but a chance to save my best friend that nobody else has ever offered before? _And_ you want my sweet, innocent friend who was kidnapped by pirates to become one? Just because I said I wouldn't condemn you for being a pirate doesn't mean that I won't condemn you for some other reason. I mean, c'mon! Do you even understand what you're asking of me?!" Chie said, irritation building in her voice. She even leaned forward and glared at him. Yu nodded slowly. He was already chalking it up as a failure. Oh, well. He could always recruit someone much stronger and intelligent. Maybe a sniper? Or a doctor that was a master of poisons?

"Yes, I do." He deadpanned. It was no use trying to cover up the truth in petty bullshit. He wasn't that type of guy. He knew what he was asking seemed ridiculous. However, it was the only way he could think of to get her to join. His older brother probably would have babbled on about dreams and gotten her to join through sheer charisma. Yu wasn't much like that all. He had logic. He just hoped she was receptive to it. She would be gaining through this deal. He would be the one that was inconvenienced. Her ideals of hating pirates and whatnot were small compared to her regaining her friend and the constant protection of her as well as the saving of her idol.

"Well, in that case..."

WHAP!

She just kicked Yu in the side of the head, knocking his head to the side, but still not causing him to fall. He had taken it without flinching. Yu looked at her steadily. He'd been expecting that. It... hurt more than he thought he would have, yet it didn't seem as a strong a kick as he thought she could throw. Did she hold back? Suddenly, Chie smiled brightly. It was odd. Was kicking him really that pleasurable? Or was this tomboy just odd?

"Ha! I beat up one of those nasty, evil pirates! Looks like me and most of the pirates are even. How about we go and even the score for the rest, Captain? After all, there's no better way to beat up and humiliate pirates by doing it while being one of them!" Yu smiled. It was a relief to know that he made a new crew mate. And a girl at that. One that could kick the crap out of Yosuke if he got out of line. He still didn't even fully understand her reasoning for joining him, but as mother always said, 'girls are complicated.'

"I get the point, but did you really have to kick me?"

"You left me all alone at that restaurant a month ago, you ass! Do you know how much meat you wasted?! You're paying for the next meal and it's going to be good!"

Yu sweatdropped at that. Girls really did know how to keep grudges.

* * *

"What's she doing here, Captain?" Yosuke asked suspiciously, eyeing the girl that had walked with Yu. They were at the docks. Yosuke had been given a few parting gifts by his master. A black box that he couldn't seem to open and a slightly bigger boat. It even had more insane training equipment on it. Yosuke felt a flutter of joy when he imagined the face of his captain attempting to the training he did. Yosuke had been waiting for Yu to arrive at the docks. It had been exactly one month. He never expected his other guest. Yu stared at him blankly.

"She is part of our crew. Don't you remember the ride here? Besides, she tells me that her master wants her to continue training in the outside world. And, seeing as we have no idea where to go next anyway, we'll be going to a location to free her idol from the marines." Yu said calmly. Chie waved at Yosuke, a bright smile on her face. Yosuke cocked an eyebrow. His captain wanted him to do what now? A rescue mission? Did pirates even do that?

"And who exactly is your idol again?" Yosuke asked the girl in green.

"Pirate Hunter Zoro! My idol and hero!" Yu and Yosuke were both frozen in shock.

"You know... you're a pirate now... right?" Yu asked, still shocked by her outburst. Chie seemed to think for a little while.

"Yeah, I know that, but once we free him he'll be grateful. He might even join us. Besides, we aren't 'bad pirates'. We're 'free' pirates. We don't even have a bounty yet. Nobody will know unless we tell them." Chie concluded with a smirk.

"Just... get in the boat." Yosuke said tiredly. Yu and Chie obliged, and with that, they were leaving the island for the next location. Yu had gotten a new crewmember, a slightly bigger boat and a few missions he'd have to do if he wanted to keep that crewmember. If he didn't help her, he had the feeling she would leave.

Oh, and he needed a bounty.

Now the question was: How many marines would he have to kill to get the highest bounty?

* * *

Corpses were strewn about the area in various pieces. The scene was nothing short of horrifying. Blood covered the walls, floors, and ceilings of the marine base. The entire population of the marines had been wiped out within an hour. Two figures stood in the middle of the largest room of the base. It was circular and, like the rest of the base, bathed in blood. Skeletons decorated the walls, their numerous fractures and breaks telling the tale of how they died. The two figures smiled at the sight before them. It had been a rather successful mission. Without this marine base, they could call this island their turf. Then they could work on expanding it, making their territory stretch all the way into the New World. They would make their crew the greatest in the world. They would rid the world of the corrupt marines that made the lives of so many terrible.

They would save the world from itself whether the world wanted it or not.

"It looks like this Fruit is far more powerful than I had anticipated. It even actively tries to control me. Even right now, I feel the urge to slaughter you in cold blood. I think it may even be more powerful than yours."

"I doubt it, but I'm not going to test that idea. I wouldn't want to have to put you down for no good reason. Hey, how about we go and grab some girls, Captain Minato? I've been having that itch for a while."

"I think that is a fine idea, Ryoji. We'll bring Takaya along with us. He needs to be more social." Ryoji chuckled.

The two could do what they want, how they wanted, and whenever they wanted. Because they were pirates.

And pirates are free.

* * *

**NEXT: Chapter 4: His Name is Straw Hat Luffy!**

* * *

A/N: WHAT? Minato is brutal and evil?! Well, I blame it on the effects of his Devil Fruit. What is his Devil Fruit? Well, one of you got the name right, and another got almost the exact powers for it. I will tell you it is a Logia that is a counterpart to Yu's Fruit. As for the whole recruitment going kind of fast, I want these three as a base set so I can expand comedy. You won't see the fourth member for a while. And yes, there is time skip. If you don't like it, then oh well. It would be nearly pointless to spend another chapter on this island. This is just to get them _some_ knowledge on how to fight. Next chapter will be fun and battles and death.

**REVIEW REPLY TIME!:**

**HolyMageMouto: **Yay, Minato lives!... but he isn't the Minato that we used to know~

**SEESWildCard: **Rest of the cast? Well, it should be a long time before the entire crew is assembled, like in One Piece. You should expect around 2 more to join before they hit the Grand Line. And Labrys and Aigis will still be robots. Because... well... robots exist in the One Piece universe. Good guess on the power by the way, but I'm not divulging anything... maybe. You were pretty close.

**NYX'S WARDEN: **Chie and the rest of the P4 cast are only like... 15 (save for the first years). They have plenty of time to grow up. :D

**kroz phantomville: **And he will become MOAR AWESOME! :D

**Yuuji Narukami: **Wow, you really like Marie. Well, expect her in a while. She'll be joining in the Grand Line, if my plan works out. And I hope it does. As for references to other series, they are spontaneous and should be fairly obvious. However, I haven't put any in this story yet.

**Twin Judge of Gemini:** His fruit is... Gomen. It appears as if I were about to tell you what his fruit does. You'll find out in time.

**Mzr90: **They might be marines. I have that odd feeling that they are. Or one of them is.

**Matt:** One piece characters will appear. Definitely. The name of the fruit is secret. Because I think everyone will love the surprise.

That's it for the reviews.

**Question of the Chapter:** What other One Piece character trained on the island Yu is currently leaving?

**REVIEW, FAVORITE, FOLLOW. **Pretty please with **MEAT** on top?


End file.
